For those who have access to social media, television or the written media, you know that many societies throughout the world are self-centered in their approach to life. Wealth, Power and Fame are the main catalyst on one side and being downtrodden by multiple circumstances is another. It almost seems hopeless that we will ever live in a society that not only offers equality, but practices it in all we think, say and do. That being the case, how can we ever love one another as Jesus loves us?
Allow me to site two specific examples that not only provide hope, but prove that it can be done.
Ukraine, as we know, is currently being attacked by Russia. The reasons cited are many from both sides. Whether they are true or not, does not excuse the fact that the people of Ukraine are in a war in which people are dying and their land is being destroyed to a point that may make it uninhabitable. And, yet, their spirit of fighting for their homeland falls into the category of loving one another as Jesus loves us. The men, primarily have stayed behind to defend their country while the women, children and elderly are escaping to safe havens in bordering countries or one’s that are open to helping these refugees.
It is quite clear from interviews by various news media at the front lines throughout Ukraine that the men who stayed realize they will probably be killed in their efforts to protect their loved ones. This is not a suicide mission, but one that believes love of others and country is a mainstay that calls for the ultimate sacrifice. Have we not read about or heard of martyrs in the Catholic Church who died for their faith espousing the same message. Jesus, the Christ, Himself, was a martyr for all who are created so they can understand the depth of God’s love for His creation who believes in what He preached, illustrated through miracles and did in suffering and death on a cross for our sins so we can have everlasting life.
My second example has to do with the survivors, especially children, of those who died from the Covid-19 pandemic. According to statistics, more than one-fourth of one million American people who died from this virus are children. They have lost either both parents or one parent. Some are very young and others are in their teens. They all have one thing in common in addition to losing a parent, the depth of love to take care of one another so they can get through this devastating loss.
Some of the older children are now raising their family of younger children because they have no relatives to take them into a household and they don’t want to break up the family by putting the younger ones into a foster care system that has a poor track record of success. As difficult as it is to rear a family that once had parents to do so, it is from the depth of their love for one another that pushes to sacrifice their own life path so that all will survive and be allowed to see a future of success.
For those of us who are not faced with situations like the above two examples, many of us have other difficulties in our lives that afford us an opportunity to love as Jesus love us, if we decide to take that step. The reason for doing so is that there is no excuse one can give for why they cannot except for selfishness which is a sin of denial of God’s love.
Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles is about the end of the first mission led by St. Barnabas, St. Paul and St. Mark through foreign lands to spread the good news primarily to those of the Jewish faith who in Palestine changed to follow Jesus. They were rejected, stoned and expelled from the area. Not to be discouraged, they offered the same salvation story to Gentiles who, for the most case, were pagans with no beliefs in a loving God. They believed so that we have the faith we now have today. Perseverance in their belief of God’s truth through adversity that could kill one is how they loved as Jesus does.
In our families and circles of friends, we most likely will not be asked to give up our lives to bring another God’s love. That is what we are called to do by our Baptism and what we have promised to work at throughout our lives. We can start to do this by example of living a life of loving one another, by making sure others see God’s love for them through how we treat them. We need to focus our energy on giving of ourselves rather than receiving a benefit for what we do. God will reward us with everlasting life for following His ways.
Christ’s Resurrection is our call this Easter to reach out to others who are in need to make sure they are not left behind because we did not take time to fulfill our promise to God. None of us know when we might be faced with a catastrophe that will take the lives of loved ones we never or hardly ever tried to reach. In these remaining two weeks of the Easter season, let us contact someone to express our love and concern. Let us take the time to listen to their needs, talk to them about God’s love for them and do something for them that indicates you mean what you say because you want them to have a life that is everlasting to share in the future.
This is how we love one another as Jesus loves us!
Reading 1: Acts 14: 21-27
Reading 2: Revelation 21: 1-5a
Gospel: John 13: 31-33a, 34-35
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